Beach

Last Friday, we had a family gathering at Pineview to go boating. I drove the Smedley kids and we listened to David Sadaris on the way up. It was so fun to see the Rays, Biddulphs, Derus, - most of the family.

Alec was home from his summer working in California in Scout Camp. His hair is so blond - he looks like a beach bum. Let me explain the picture of Michael - his dad, Scott, bought the Captain Jack Sparrow hat at Disneyland on their trip to see Alec this summer. Michael somehow wrangled it from Scott and came up the beach acting drunk and VERY Johnny Depp-ish. I had to get a pic. So funny.

Aiden did really well and looked so cute in his new swimsuit with matching hat. He looked like Walter Mathau - too big of shorts, tee-shirt, fishing cap and socks. We enjoyed the hamburgers and chips that were there. I enjoyed the 3 Diet Pepsis that I brought up. Yum. We didn't go on the boat, but enjoyed hanging out with the moms - Teresa and Hillary and Amanda.

It was wonderful to go back up to the Eden/Huntsville area. I loved living there and miss it when I return. I love the beauty of Ogden Valley. There are many times that I want to live there again, but it is so unpractical. I loved the people and the way that, on the drive up to the valley, life seems to slow down.

I love being able to do fun things with my new little son. It makes me feel like I have a real family. It gives me a reason to have a camera, a blog, a photo album, scrapbooking supplies, and a camcorder. I love being a mom.

First Trip to the Zoo

Aiden had his first trip to the zoo on Wednesday. I know that he is too small to really understand what the zoo is, but it was a bonding moment for mom and baby. Shiree, Jessica (and her beau Tanner - very nice young whipper snapper...), Kelle, and Stu went with us. The baby that Shiree nannies for (Gabe) came with us and he was the real reason that we went. He is one year old and is the happiest baby I have ever known.

We loved that zoo and it was not too hot to really enjoy it. One elephant had a new baby calf, but they were not on display yet. Gabe loved the bears and the giraffes. My favorite was the baby giraffe that was asleep in the enclosure. There is a picture above.

Shiree, Gabe, Aiden and I all rode the carousel. Aiden was awake for a lot of the day and was very interactive.

Phew!!! Fun week!

Aiden and I have had a really fun week! It started on Sunday with a barbeque with the Smedleys followed by a much-needed walk around the old neighborhood. I haven't been able to really walk for at least six months. Smedley's friends were there and we had really great elk steak, fresh corn and watermelon. We had so much fun. The Smedleys love Aiden and are so great with him.

Working on a schedule

Okay, so I am a real mom now. I am actually eating mac & cheese for dinner... for the first time in... geez, almost a decade. It was disgusting. Of course, I went with the 25 cent box from WalMart instead of splurging for the name brand. Nasty.

I am working on getting Aiden on a schedule... not an easy thing. He tends to want to eat for 5 minutes, sleep for 15 minutes, eat again for 5 minutes, sleep again for 15 minutes. So I am working on getting him scheduled. As you can see from the picture, he just can't seem to stay awake long enough to eat. He will eventually. I love this picture. It is so funny.

I also thought I would post a picture of my darling son's hairline. It is so funny. I have had people ask me if I want to mohawk it. No thanks.

He is so awake all the time. I love it. He is talking so well and he is really reacting to interaction.

Cousin Day

Fun day with the cousins. One really fun thing that my family does is that once a week during the summer, all the kids get together with their kids and the moms get to sit and socialize while the kids all swim. Everyone brings their own lunch and a treat to share. So good. Especially the cheese curds from Teresa.

Today, we went to Glen & Genette's house and a bunch of kids were there. My step-mother, Sharon, was also there and was so sweet to hold the baby when he got fussy. It was so good to spend some time with my sisters, my step-mother, and sisters-in-law.

"Grandma Sharon" also came for dinner tonight and was so patient with the cooking... chicken cordon bleu (wheat free), caesar salad, and potatoes. YUMMMM

Back to Church

Happy 6 week old birthday, Aiden.... Whew! Six weeks - how the time flies. We are really (finally) starting to get in a rhythm (so weird to type that word - "rhythm" - no vowels...) and it only took us six weeks. I am such a novice.

Today, Aiden and I went back to church for the first time since he was born. (Two weeks, we couldn't go because of his re-hospitalization) We went to my ward in North Salt Lake. DANG I forgot how much I love the people there. When I have to leave that ward for real, I will be so sad. There is so much love and support. I can't imagine any other place I would rather be right now. (okay, so not my scary, drug-dealing infested apartment where I will have to be if I want to stay in the ward...)

Dani and Sevy Price have a baby girl (Hazel) who is only 10 days older than Aiden and she is tiny too. It was so good to sit behind the Roses and see Carol Hillam, Jill Hall, Suzanne, Susan, Linda, Nancy, Melanie, Lindsay, Tauni, and all the other ladies who have been by my side the whole time. He was passed around so much.

The last few weeks have been a little hard with all the changes go on in my life and it was like coming home to be back. Aiden was so well-behaved that I was grateful to be back, taking the sacrament, and being among the people I know and love.

I miss my mother so much tonight. I have had a great day and it is one of those wonderful days that I want so much to share with her. We had such a close relationship and would talk no less than five times a day, then we lived under the same roof... it was wonderful. I miss being able to call her up and say, "Guess what?..." It hit so hard when I was making plans with my bishopric for the paperwork to get him blessed. I thought of all the people I needed to inform and I thought of her immediately and was sad when I couldn't call her up and talk for hours. I miss being able to share everything with her. I have a wonderful bunch of people who support me in everything, but (this sounds so childish...) tonight I just miss my mommy.

I thought it might be nice for everyone to see how well little Aiden is doing tonight, so I posted the picture above. He is doing really great. He is not quite sleeping through the night, but he is only 6 weeks old.

Surgeon Follow-up visit

Aiden went to see the surgeon for a follow-up visit on Thursday. The doctor is amazingly nice and was so excited to see Aiden. He looked at his scars - the appendix scar is about 4 inches long and looks great. The hernia scar is over 2 inches and is fading fast. Dr. Schaif said, "Let's get this kid nekkid..." and we looked at the testicle. WE SAVED IT!!! YAY!!

Dr. Schaif was amazed because he said that all the other surgeons in the operating room told him it was foolish to leave it and he was going to have to go back in and fix his folly. He showed them wrong. I am so pleased. Everything looks great.

I love my son more than I can say. Today we went to the Smedley's for dinner. The girls all love him so much.